Divina Commedia - Paradiso, Canto XI

Between Tupino and the descending water
Of the chosen hill of the blessed Ubaldo,
a fertile slope hangs from another mountain,
where Perugia feels both cold and hot
from Porta Sole and behind it mourns
under the heavy yoke of Nocera with Gualdo.
On this slope, where it breaks its steepness the most,
a Sun was born into the world
as the Ganges does sometimes.
But so that I do not proceed too closed off,
Francis and Poverty for these lovers
Take now in my extended speech.
Their harmony and their joyful appearances
Love and wonder and sweet glances
Make them the cause of holy thoughts:
so much so that the venerable Bernard
first took off his shoes, and behind such peace
he ran and, running, he felt he was slow.
Neither the lashes of his eyelids weighed heavily on his courage
for being the son of Pietro Bernardone,
nor to appear disrespectful to wonder;
but royally he opened his hard intention
to Innocent, and from him he received
the first seal of his religion.
Then, when the poor people grew
behind him, whose marvelous life
would be sung better in the glory of heaven.
And then, driven by the thirst for martyrdom,
in the presence of the proud Soldan
he preached Christ and the others who followed him.
……………………………………
In the harsh rock between Tiber and Arno
He took the final seal from Christ.
When to Him who so well ordained
it pleased to draw him up to the reward
that he deserved in humbling himself
to his brothers, as a just reward,
he commended his dearest lady,
and commanded that they love her faithfully;
and from her womb the illustrious soul
wanted to move, returning to his kingdom,
and did not want any other shroud for his body.